The Fuerteventura Diaries Day 1 - Sun, Sea and Nudity

OK first of all, I don't care what the reasoning behind it is, but getting up at 4am is ABSOLUTELY CRIMINAL! Seriously, I haven't felt that rough in the morning since the last time I've had to get up at Stupid O'Clock in the morning. Good thing I've never had a hangover. Anyway.

So I arrived in Fuerteventura at around 11:30, something which I couldn't quite wrap my head around as I don't normally depart from the UK so early in the morning. Nonetheless, transfer to the hotel was seamless and the hotel food is more than adequate, so my physical survival is assured, at least from a culinary point of view.

Now to the main course of this holiday. The beach. I deliberately chose a hotel situated on the beach itself, this beach being 20km (12.5 mi) long. I go abroad for beach holidays and it doesn't get much beachier than this. So, after applying some sun spray all over it was off to the beach during the peak hours in which all the health advice says you'll die of skin cancer if you stay outside for more than 5 minutes. In other words, about 14:00ish. Ye gods, even for me the heat was oppressive. I don't know how long I was out there for, as I didn't have my phone with me, but the trudge back was difficult. Two bottles of 50cl water on the beach and I was still dehydrated. Napped in my room for a bit and woke up with a headache, but dinner sorted that out. It's easy to forget how little you've eaten on a busy day like this. Afterwards, feeling significantly better than I did earlier, it was back to the beach again. The atmosphere was much cooler this time so it was a lot more comfortable and a lot less carcinogenic.

Oh, have I missed something? Something I alluded to in the title of this post?

Yep! Let's just say my choosing of Fuerteventura as this year's beach holiday wasn't entirely by chance...this beach is apparently popular with naturists and today I saw plenty of evidence thereof. That's not to say everyone was naked, but just 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel and there was certainly a significant minority of people embracing the naturist way, which is completely legal in Spain. And as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do! Surprising how quickly you get used to it actually. At least it resolves a question I've had in my mind for a long time of whether I'd be brave enough to do this. At the age of 29 I've finally ticked that off my hypothetical list of the bucket.

Well at the time of this writing (not to be confused with the time of this transcription) it is now 21:19 so I think it's time to get changed into something slightly more presentable and check out the nightlife downstairs. I like this hotel, it has everything.

Oh, I did have one hiccup in that, after leaving my room for the first time, I couldn't get back in and reception had to send someone to have a look. Turns out the handle mechanism is slightly more complicated than it appears but never mind!

An addendum to the above, written at 22:16, went downstairs to find a stage with acrobatic performers which was very enjoyable to watch, had some cool music with it also. Apparently it's now a disco until 2am...given how loud the music was when I got downstairs I'm bloody glad I'm on Floor 5! Can't hear a thing up here. Now I think it's time for reading and an early night.